Friday, 10 November 2017

A Gift To Me From Me

I've been wanting to have a go at sewing on a sewing machine for a long time now. I've kept saying that I'll have a go on Eleanor's machine but I still haven't got round to it so when I saw an offer on a basic model I decided to grab the bull by the horns and treat myself. Perhaps having my own sewing machine will spur me on.

It doesn't do anything fancy but I think it will be good enough for me to learn on and I won't be nervous about breaking Eleanor's machine.

What with all the worry over my mum over the past couple of weeks, it's still sitting in its box but I'm raring to have a go with it. I had a few lessons at school where I used a sewing machine but I can't remember a thing from those lessons now, I don't even know how to thread the thing so I'm going to be starting from scratch, but there's plenty of tutorials online, I've got a few books, and Eleanor will be able to help me once she's home from university.

I've got a very healthy yarn stash but nothing in the way of fabric so I think I'm going to have to make a few purchases.

Treat myself to something I really want is on my 50 Before 50 list so this little gift to myself fits the bill and I can cross off number 42.

Thank you for all your good wishes for my mum. Unfortunately, she ended up having to spend her 83rd birthday on Tuesday in hospital but she was allowed home on Wednesday. She's still very poorly having lots of ailments now, and she'll never be well again but I'm sure she'll be happier and comfier in her own home where we can spoil her and give her lots of love.

48 comments:

Glad your mum is at least out of hospital, being in your own home is better if you don't need medical attention.Good luck with your new sewing machine, mine is only a basic one too, but it does what i want to use it for. Can't wait to see what you make :-)

My mum's feeling much better about being in her own home, I think people do recover quicker in their own surroundings. I really don't know where to start with my sewing machine but I'm sure I'll have lots of fun finding out.

I don't know about it being a basic machine, it still looks very complicated to me, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it with practice. Thank you, it was a shame she had to spend her birthday in hospital but at least she's home now.

That's the same model machine as I have. The only problem I have found is that it's a bit lightweight and sometimes moves as I'm using it. Other than that, it's been a good buy, and I do quite a lot of sewing.Sorry to hear about your Mum being poorly, but I agree, there's nowhere quite like home.

Knowing you've got the same machine is good enough for me, you produce some beautiful things with it. I shall have to watch out for it moving, perhaps putting some kind of gripper on the bottom would help. My mum's definitely much better in her own home, she was very confused in hospital which didn't help matters.

Oh well done you! What a great gift to give yourself, I'm sure you will feel much better having your own machine, I really hope you enjoy learning and playing with it and making a new stash for fabric, oh and threads and lol. Glad your Mum is home and feeling a little more comfy xcx

I think I'd have been too nervous to use Eleanor's machine in case I broke it, I feel better about having my own. I need to buy some fabric before I get started and I think it'll be fun choosing some lovely designs. It's good to have my mum home again.

I remember you getting your machine, I'm glad you're enjoying using it. I got my machine for just £40, it was reduced from £80 to £70 and then I was given a £30 incentive offer so I really couldn't say no. I can't wait now to have a go with it.

A real bargain buy, don't worry about how basic it is it will serve you well. I have a fancy pants machine but wouldn't part with my mechanical basic one, the only thing that I miss is the automatic needle up or down. I learnt to sew on a hand cranked Singer, with a shuttle instead of a bobbin, I made all my clothes with it for several years.

I think anything more sophisticated would just confuse me so this machine will be ideal to learn on. It was a bargain, I'd have been willing to pay full price for it but it's nice getting something at a knock down price.

Your sewing machine is the perfect little treat to yourself. I hope you get the opportunity to get some good use out of it soon.It's lovely that your mum is back home. I'm sure she will be much more comfortable than in hospital. X

I think it does perk you up a bit when you treat yourself, especially when you get a bargain. I'm looking forward to getting acquainted with it now. My mum was so glad to get home, the ward she was on wasn't the happiest of wards so it's good that she's back in her own home.

Thank you. I know my mum's already much happier since she's been home so I think it's the best thing for her. I'm looking forward to trying out my new sewing machine now, and I'll enjoy buying a little fabric too.

That's a mighty fine treat - A basic one is really all you need. The more bells and whistles the more complicated it is and the more that can (and will) go wrong with it.

You won't believe it but I just purchased a sewing machine yesterday - not for myself but for my daughter. It's a portable sewing machine that is apparently perfect for tweens to learn on as it's a proper machine but it has a guard around the needle so that fingers cannot get underneath it, which is, of course, my main concern. You know what I find sort of odd? That we seem to have many of these strange coincidences!

Oh, I'm so sorry for your mum and your family - she's very lucky to have a good support network around her. Sending good thoughts across the Atlantic...

I really wanted something basic, I know I'll just get myself in a tizz if I start trying to use anything more complicated. The coincidences and similarities between us are amazing. I wish I'd learnt to sew as a youngster, that's one of the reasons I encouraged Eleanor, even though I can't sew myself. Eleanor took a GCSE in Textiles at school so we bought her a machine, but she never really gets it out these days, she's been busy studying since then and when she does have free time there always seems to be other things she wants to do. I'm sure it's something she'll come back to though. Thank you, it's such a worry with my mum now, she really isn't well at all now, but at 83 she's getting on so we can't really expect much else.

I’m so pleased you’ve treated yourself, something nice amongst all the worry. My sewing skills are very basic, I need to practise more. It’s so hard watching our parents get older, but always better being at home around familiar surroundings xx

I must admit that it was a bit of a pick me up amongst the stresses of life. It's funny how people age at different rates. I'm lucky to still have my parents here in their 80s, I know some people aren't so lucky, but it's still hard when you see them start to fade.

We have a local sewing workshop that runs "all you need to know to sew" classes for people who are just getting to grips with their sewing machines so perhaps you could find somewhere like that locally? Good for you for treating yourself! xx

I'm sorry to hear your mom is having such a hard time. I hope she does better now that she's at home. Your new sewing machine looks great! Good for you treating yourself, you deserve it and you're going to have such a good time with it!

About Me

Thank you for visiting. I'm Jo, fifty and happily married with two grown up children and a dog called Archie. Take a peek Through The Keyhole into my home on the outskirts of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Here you'll see a little of what I get up to on my crafty adventures as well as snippets of family life. I hope you enjoy reading along.